MRI: Acquisition of a High Magnetic Field and Cryogen-Free Physical Property Measurement System

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This award supports the acquisition of a High Magnetic Field and Cryogen-Free Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS) at Brown University. It will enable experimental studies of the physical properties of materials including magnetism, electron transport, and thermodynamic properties. The instrument will provide fundamental information about new materials actively being studied by scientists from the disciplines of Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering. Proposed research using the PPMS includes: (1) spintronics based on half-metallic magnetic nanostructures, (2) magnetic nanoparticles for data storage, energy storage and biomedical applications, (3) low dimensional superconducting nanostructures, (4) type-II superconductors, (5) novel superconducting and spin liquid states, and (6) semiconductor hetero-nanowires. By studying physical properties over a wide range of temperatures and fields, scientists at Brown will uncover the quantum mechanical behavior and physical mechanisms underlying many novel and revolutionary materials. With this new instrument, they will have the ability to investigate the ground state properties of their materials directly, rather than rely on mere extrapolations of measurements conducted at room temperature or low magnetic fields. Since the PPMS provides a myriad of physical characterizations, they will be able to develop theoretical models that can then be almost immediately tested by multiple types of measurements and their correlations. The PPMS will open up new research opportunities for the materials research programs, and will help to reveal as yet unexplored physical phenomena while simultaneously producing devices of great practical significance. The proposed research not only will advance the development of material science, but also will lead to prototyping the next generations of spin-based electronics and semiconductor devices, thereby directly influencing the future development of the semiconductor industry.This instrument will be used as an educational tool for graduate and undergraduate training. With this instrument, they will be able to teach students the fundamental properties of modern materials, develop a deeper understanding of physical mechanisms, and also provide invaluable practical experience in advanced characterization techniques. In particular, undergraduate students will use this sophisticated instrument for their research projects, thereby offering a unique opportunity for high-level investigations. These students will form the next generation of materials scientists in the United States, ensuring the development of the field and helping the US assume and maintain a preeminent role. The proposed research will also generate new basic knowledge and data on novel spintronic, superconducting, and semiconductor materials that can be leveraged to develop potentially revolutionary devices for widespread implementation in multiple arenas including information technology, medicine, and education.